I let the genie out of the bottle

"Clap, clap, clap." The crisp sound of clapping rang out in the store.

"Very good, Liliana." A voice filled with satisfaction and approval rang out, and then, the figure of a young girl quietly appeared in the shop.

Judging from her appearance alone, it's impossible to tell her age; she looks no different from a young girl.

She has an adorable baby face and wears a dress with lace trim that gives off a slightly frilly vibe.

"As expected, Liliana is hailed as a prodigy of the younger generation. This level of test cannot make you panic in the slightest."

"Teacher Diana, please don't tease me." Liliana blushed slightly with embarrassment at the compliment.

After all, only those who are close to her know her own situation. Although she did become a great knight at a young age, this only represents a certain level of talent, not her current strength.

In terms of strength, she is merely a newcomer who has just begun to understand the ways of the Great Knights.

Hearing his teacher's praise, he felt an indescribable sense of shame.

"Well then, the long-awaited test of strength has come to an end." The witch named Diana glanced at Liliana, smiled casually, and picked up the plastic bag she had just placed on the table.

Diana, a witch belonging to the Bronze Black Cross, is Liliana's teacher in magic, so her expertise in this field is naturally quite high.

If she has any flaws, it's probably that despite being quite old, she still likes to act like a little girl.

"Um, sorry, I was a little late because I went to buy an ice cream cone. Well then, let's have a test of our abilities."

As she spoke, Diana clasped her hands together in front of her chest, apologetic on her face. Then she pulled two ice cream cones from a plastic bag and threw one of them at Liliana, causing the girl to scramble around in a flurry.

"Thank you, Teacher Diana," the knight girl said politely.

"No need to thank me, this is my belated apology." The girl pretending to be young said while licking the ice cream cone in her hand. "Besides, ice cream cones are the perfect match for young girls."

“This…” For a moment, a slightly troubled look appeared on Liliana’s face.

"What's with that expression?" The older witch, who loved to act young, was quite perceptive, and her expression changed instantly. "Could it be that you, like some damned young girl, are secretly thinking something like, 'Even though she dresses young, those few little crow's feet around her eyes can't be hidden no matter what,' or something like that?"

"No way! I didn't even think about that!" Liliana immediately retorted. "I just occasionally think that, given your age, you should wear clothes that are more appropriate for your age!"

"Crack!"

A crack appeared on the ice cream cone in Diana's hand.

Suddenly, the ice cream cone in my hand doesn't taste so good anymore.

Is my disciple really just someone with a straightforward personality?

“Liliana Kranichal!” Diana licked the cream off her fingers, her expression turning serious, revealing the long-lost demeanor of the Great Witch.

"How's the task I gave you before, to investigate the group of sorcerers who infiltrated Rome, going?"

“It’s pretty much confirmed that the other party is a Gypsy group that has been operating between various countries.” Liliana’s eyes narrowed, her expression instantly turned solemn, and she knelt down on one knee with a swift movement. “Furthermore, they seem to have some connection with the cultists who tried to summon the God of Disobedience in France a few years ago.”

“Gypsies again.” Diana’s expression remained unchanged. “Or should I say, was it expected?”

The term "Gypsy" is actually a somewhat prejudiced one; strictly speaking, it should be called "Roma," but the name "Gypsy" has gained worldwide acceptance.

To some, Gypsies are synonymous with mystery, but in reality, this ethnic group is more often labeled as beggars, pickpockets, and even human traffickers.

These labels are not just preconceived notions, but more so a reflection of national character.

In this world, they have an even more abhorrent label: sorcerers.

There has always been a group of people who, to the point of fanaticism and recklessness, pursue the manifestation of the God who does not follow Him.

Therefore, they have always been quite unpopular, which can be considered a vicious cycle.

"What, do those guys want to summon a disobedient god in Rome?" Diana asked, her brow furrowed.

“Very likely.” Liliana nodded. “However, now it’s not just the Bronze Black Cross; other magical societies have also increased their vigilance in Rome, preventing them from holding summoning rituals.”

“But don’t forget, this is Rome.” Diana shook her head. “There are many dangerous artifacts here. With these two factors combined, the possibility of a disobedient god being summoned increases significantly.”

“Then, I’m willing to go right now—” Liliana straightened up and spoke without hesitation.

“No thanks.” Diana shook her head, refusing without hesitation. “This matter is now beyond your purview.”

"Teacher Diana, I'm already a Grand Knight of the Bronze Black Cross, capable of handling things independently." Liliana's expression changed, and she said somewhat unwillingly, "Moreover, as a knight—"

“Being able to stand on your own and being needed to stand on your own are two different things.” Diana crossed her arms and interrupted her without any politeness. “Letting the younger generation who have not yet grown up stand on their own will make the Bronze Black Cross lose its meaning.”

"Ugh—" the knight girl said in her last struggle, "But this is my duty as a member of the Bronze Black Cross..."

"Is it the commander who usually guides your thinking?"

The commander of the Bronze Black Cross, and also Liliana's grandfather.

"Yes."

“Oh.” Diana nodded, then said lightly, “You dog.”

P.S. 1: I accidentally wrote too much in this section...it's giving me a headache. I was planning to write this, but I haven't gotten to it yet.

PS2: In Godslayer, those high-ranking members of the Bronze Black Cross... I really think they're a bunch of scoundrels. Individual interests and collective interests are intertwined; sometimes it's unavoidable to sacrifice individual interests for the sake of the collective. However, betraying individual interests and sacrificing someone for the sake of the collective is a bit unpleasant.

Chapter Eleven: The Gypsy Diviner

"The divine artifact is moving rapidly; it seems to be being carried along by someone."

The little devil casually brushed aside the strands of gray hair at his temples, a hint of anticipation in his dark golden eyes.

"Given this speed of movement, the other party may have used a vehicle... Of course, it's also possible that the other party is also a member of the mystical side."

"Is it impossible to absorb its power at this distance?" Lu Ye asked as he hurried along.

"To activate the power within a divine artifact, you must be relatively close," the little devil replied casually. "This distance requirement is related to the strength of the divine artifact and the activity level of the power within it."

Lu Ye wasn't too surprised by this answer. Or rather, this was the normal thing to do.

"There should be taxis here, right?" the little devil suggested listlessly.

"Following my intuition, I casually instructed the driver to chase after the divine artifact... Rome should be a place of great interest to all the magic societies in Italy, so we can't make our actions too conspicuous." As he jogged toward the indicated location, Lu Ye still had the mood to chat with the little devil.

No, it should be said that the conversations between the two have become an indispensable part of his daily life.

"Carrying a divine artifact with him and running around in this city with a rich history, he doesn't seem like an ordinary person, does he?"

"Orthodox magic societies generally fear and avoid divine artifacts because of their power and the danger of summoning disobedient gods."

"Someone has brought divine artifacts into Rome... If the local magical forces have already discovered this, they've probably become suspicious. At this point, it's best to keep a low profile."

Of course, there are also the most practical reasons.

"Besides... I don't have enough money on me anymore," Lu Ye said with a shrug, sounding somewhat helpless.

Rome is, after all, a major international city, and tourism accounts for a significant portion of its economy.

The biggest characteristic of tourist cities is... high cost of living and low income.

“That’s a reason that’s hard to refute…” The little devil turned his head to the side and reminded him, “The other side has stopped now, probably waiting for their companions.”

Lu Ye stopped talking and focused on continuing his journey.

......

"Hello, would you like to have a fortune telling done?"

Lu Ye feigned a blank expression and turned his head to look. Beside him was a woman wearing a pointed hat and a Gypsy-style robe.

Sitting on a simple mat, holding a crystal ball in her hand, with an un-set tent beside her, she looked like a traditional itinerant fortune teller.

The only thing that didn't quite fit her Gypsy style was the bracelet on her wrist with an animal tooth attached to it.

Even with special treatment, animal teeth are prone to yellowing. But this tooth was pure white, almost deathly white, with faint horizontal blood lines on its smooth surface. At first glance, it looked as if it were alive.

"Please believe me, my divination is very accurate."

"Ah, I'm sorry, I probably don't have much money on me." Lu Ye looked troubled, clearly a naive young man who was at a loss when suddenly entangled by a strange person.

"Hmm, I see." The female fortune teller hesitated for a moment. "That's alright then. I just arrived, so consider it a free reading. But, but—"

As she spoke, she pointed to a pile of odds and ends in a box next to her.

"If you want to buy something, it won't be free."

"Is this appropriate?"

“I have a very good impression of Asians,” the Gypsy fortune teller said with a gentle smile, “because I was once helped by an Asian family.”

As a Gypsy fortune teller, she does indeed have a great affinity for Asians.

Because Asians are generally not very familiar with Roma people, their impression of them is more mysterious than hostile.

Therefore... they are even easier to fool.

"So, since you're Asian, I can do a fortune telling for you for free," the fortune teller said.

This statement would not actually arouse suspicion from others.

After all, free fortune telling is quite common among Gypsies, because fortune telling doesn't make much money; charging low fees is meaningless, while charging high fees makes it difficult for customers to agree.

Therefore, Gypsy fortune tellers usually rely on the results of their divination to sell products.

She was an unpopular Gypsy magician, but more often than not, she was a fortune teller.

"Alright then, just so you know, I'm not going to buy anything," Lu Ye said, somewhat troubled.

When the fortune teller raised his hand, the animal tooth he was wearing swayed slightly.

However, he restrained himself with great willpower, preventing his gaze from being drawn to it.

After all, he was just an ordinary teenager who came here as a tourist and knew nothing about the area.

“It’s alright,” the fortune teller said, his slightly hoarse voice coming from within his robe. “Then, young man, extend your hand.”

Lu Ye obediently extended her hand.

At the same time, the power of the divine beast tooth on the female diviner's hand quietly flowed out and gradually transferred into Lu Ye's body.

When absorbing the power of a divine artifact, the effect will naturally be better if you are closer to it.

“Ah, young man, I can see that.” The fortune teller cleared his throat mysteriously. “You are someone who is not content with mediocrity.”

"Moreover, I suppose there will be no calamities in the future, and I will have a happy life..."

While absorbing the power within the divine beast fang, Lu Ye calmly listened to the diviner's narration.

In an instant, he thought of Caravaggio's painting "The Fortune Teller." Whether the fortune teller in the painting was helping her customers change their luck or trying to secretly take the ring off her hand always left one with a sense of curiosity.

Perhaps due to the professional style of a fortune teller, she didn't say some things aloud, but Lu Ye had already understood the subtext.

Though there were no major disasters or great honors, he can only be described as an outstanding individual among the mediocre, and a man of exceptional integrity.

ordinary.

It must be said that this fortune teller's predictions were quite accurate. It's just a pity that that was the old version of him.

"However, if you wish to increase your own fortune, I recommend this ancient Roman wine cup to you—"

As she spoke, she picked up the broken wine glass from her pile of miscellaneous items.

Selling products is the primary job of a Gypsy fortune teller.

"No need, I don't have much money on me." Lu Ye shook his head and turned to leave.

Well, the fortune teller hadn't noticed that the wolf tooth she was wearing had suddenly developed large, withered yellow stains, as if it had aged countless years in an instant.

This tooth gained power through faith and became a symbol of the divine. After losing its power, the marks of time quickly appeared on it.

He had just guided the power from the beast's teeth into his body and hadn't had a chance to absorb and utilize it yet. If the other party suddenly attacked, he wouldn't know how to deal with it.

“Ordinary traits…this is not a suitable candidate.” Watching Lu Ye’s departing figure, the Gypsy fortune teller shook his head.

She certainly didn't come here for fortune telling.

However, to summon a disobedient god, their methods required a considerable number of sacrifices. Since infiltrating Rome was not easy, the sacrifices had to be made from locally available materials.

Compared to the mediocre, those with various talents are the better candidates to be sacrificed. As for this, let's just consider it a genuine act of divination based on love.

It seems that both the customer and the customer have ulterior motives.

With this divine artifact, the summoning should be successful, right?

As she thought this, her gaze fell on her wrist.